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Lynn Hempel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Colorado State University (CSU). Her research focuses on social stratification, race, ethnicity, religion, and environmental sociology. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Duke University and an M.Sc. in Sociology from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her work examines processes of social inequality, including boundary formation, racial dynamics, and the interplay between religion and environmental policy. Dr. Hempel’s research spans diverse topics such as immigration attitudes, climate change activism among conservative groups, and the socio-environmental impacts of resource extraction. She has published in journals like Social Forces , Social Problems , and Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion . Her studies frequently address marginalized communities, including Latinx populations affected by disasters and workers in global supply chains. At CSU, she contributes to interdisciplinary discussions on environmental justice, gender performance in fitness cultures, and the sociological dimensions of faith-based environmentalism. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical investigations, highlighting systemic inequities in education, labor, and policy. Dr. Hempel’s office is located at the Sociology Office Modular, 1100 Meridian Ave. Building A, Fort Collins, CO. She can be reached via lynn.hempel@colostate.edu. The Sociology Department is part of the College of Liberal Arts, reflecting her commitment to humanities-driven research.

• Social Stratification
• Social Theory
• Race and Ethnicity
• +5 more

Paul Sunderland is a faculty member at Greenville University's Department of Music, based in Whitlock Music Room 213. He holds a D.W.S. in Worship Studies (2017), M.A. in Music Education (1998), and B.A. in Jazz Studies (1993) from the University of Akron and Robert E. Webber Institute. Prior to GU, he served 15 years as a full-time Worship Leader at a United Methodist Church and adjunct professor at Malone University and Mount Union College. His expertise spans practical church music leadership, worship theology, and mentoring future church musicians. Education: Doctorate in Worship Studies (2017), Robert E. Webber Institute M.A. Music Education (1998), University of Akron B.A. Jazz Studies (1993), University of Akron Research & Practice: Focuses on integrating worship theology and musicianship in congregational leadership. His work includes songwriting, band leadership, and presenting at music industry seminars. He emphasizes spiritual formation in students preparing to lead church music ministries. Affiliations: Ancient-future Faith Network Global Ethnodoxology Network Contemporary Music Center (CMC) Advisory Board, Nashville Philosophy: "My calling is to mentor future church leaders in both theology and musicianship... I see transformative growth in students' skills and approach to worship leadership," he states.

• Worship Studies
• Music Education
• Jazz Studies
• +3 more

Dr. Bob Rice is Professor of Catechetics and Director of the online MACE program at Franciscan University's Theology Department. His research and teaching focus on faith formation, theological education, and evangelization strategies, emphasizing relatable communication of Catholic doctrine. Publications address pastoral approaches to contemporary moral issues and youth engagement.

• Catechetics
• Theology
• Faith Formation

Derek Yonai is the Peter and Sue Freytag Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Brown Innovation Center at Flagler College . He also holds a Senior Research Fellow position at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics. Previously, he served as Director of multiple academic centers at institutions including Emporia State University, Southern Methodist University, Florida Southern College, and Campbell University. Freytag Associate Professor of Economics Director, Brown Innovation Center Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics Dr. Yonai's research focuses on property rights , economic freedom , and critiques of Milton Friedman's corporate social responsibility theories . His work examines public choice theory, entrepreneurial state limitations, and legal-economic intersections in copyright law. Scientific awards include the Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Award and the Spirit of Inquiry Award . He actively engages the public through radio interviews, op-eds in major newspapers, and public talks on business ethics and education.

• Economic freedom
• Property rights
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• +2 more

Latrice Pichon, PhD, MPH, CHES, is a Professor in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Memphis School of Public Health. She holds a PhD in Public Health from San Diego State University/UC San Diego, with postdoctoral training in community-based participatory research (CBPR) at the University of Michigan. Her work focuses on HIV prevention, faith-based interventions, and addressing health disparities in vulnerable populations, particularly in the Southern U.S. Dr. Pichon leads the CDC-funded Minority HIV Research Initiative grant and was awarded the 2021 University Research Professorship for her contributions to research, education, and community engagement. She has pioneered projects like the photovoice initiative to reduce HIV stigma and collaborated with faith communities to enhance HIV awareness. Education: PhD in Public Health (Health Behavior), San Diego State University/UC San Diego MPH, San Diego State University BS in Psychology, Xavier University of Louisiana Postdoctoral Fellowship, Kellogg Health Scholars Program (University of Michigan) Research Interests: Dr. Pichon’s research emphasizes faith-based HIV prevention, community engagement, and trauma-informed methodologies. She explores how religious institutions and community organizations can address HIV stigma, improve healthcare access, and support marginalized groups, including Black MSM and homeless populations. Awards & Grants: 2021 University Research Professorship, University of Memphis 2019 Transformative Grant Partner, COMPASS Initiative/Southern AIDS Coalition CDC U01PS005211 Grant (Minority HIV Research Initiative) Advising & Collaborations: Dr. Pichon collaborates with local and national organizations like the Ryan White Program and Southern AIDS Coalition. Her work includes developing rapid HIV care pathways and evaluating peer navigation programs for PrEP uptake. She also leads the Memphis Health and Faith Project, fostering partnerships between faith communities and public health entities. Labs/Teams: Her research is conducted through the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, focusing on participatory health interventions and community-driven solutions.

• HIV Prevention and Care
• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
• Faith-Based Health Interventions
• +3 more

Mengdi Huai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Iowa State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Virginia under Prof. Aidong Zhang. Her research focuses on trustworthy AI, including explainable machine learning, adversarial robustness, privacy preservation, and fairness. She holds grants such as an NSF award for security in machine unlearning and has been recognized with the AAAI New Faculty Highlights (2024), Rising Star awards in EECS and Data Science (2021), and the John A. Stankovic Research Award (2021). Her educational background includes a Ph.D. from UVA (2021) and earlier degrees from institutions like the University of Science and Technology of China. She teaches courses like Machine Learning (COM S 573) and Advanced Topics in Computational Intelligence (COM S 672). Dr. Huai’s research spans security/privacy in machine unlearning, adversarial attacks on diffusion models, and attention mechanisms in vision transformers. Her work has been published in top venues like ICML, AAAI, KDD, and NeurIPS. She serves on program committees for AAAI, IJCAI, CVPR, and others, and reviews for journals like IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and TKDE. Her lab focuses on advancing AI systems that are robust, interpretable, and privacy-aware. Recent grants include NSF support for machine unlearning security. She advises numerous students in these areas and collaborates internationally on projects like predictive diffusion models for healthcare and federated learning robustness.

• Machine Learning
• Data Mining
• Trustworthy AI
• +4 more

Henry N. Young, Ph.D., is a Professor and Department Head in the Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy at the University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy . He holds the Kroger Professor title. His research focuses on clinical pharmacy practice innovations, health disparities, HIV prevention strategies, and medication adherence in underserved populations. He has contributed to advancing telehealth applications in cardiovascular disease management and evaluating barriers to opioid treatment access. His work frequently addresses social determinants of health and pharmacy’s role in public health initiatives. Key areas of expertise include: Pharmacy services and policy HIV prevention and PrEP implementation Medication adherence strategies Health equity research Implementation science in healthcare Recent studies highlight his work on: Racial disparities in antipsychotic utilization Pharmacist-led buprenorphine programs Telemedicine adoption among Medicare beneficiaries Long-acting injectable therapies for mental health and HIV He has received the prestigious Fellow of the American Pharmacists Association (FAPhA) honor. His research is supported by grants addressing pharmacy’s expanded role in community and clinical care settings.

• Clinical Pharmacy
• Public Health
• Medication Adherence
• +6 more

Jp Conway is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Christian Ministry at Lipscomb University's College of Bible, serving as Affiliate Faculty since 2008. He also preaches at Acklen Avenue Church of Christ. His academic journey includes a B.A. in Youth and Family Ministry from Abilene Christian University (ACU), an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary (2014). His research interests focus on the intersection of Christian faith with contemporary social, political, and scientific issues, emphasizing church renewal and radical optimism about local congregations. Dr. Conway has authored Broken But Beautiful: Why Church is Still Worth It , with royalties supporting Room in the Inn Nashville. His community involvement includes leading faith-and-science study trips to Italy and advocating for church revitalization. Married to Beth (a professor at Belmont University's College of Medicine), they have three daughters. His hobbies include running, reading, and following sports. His teaching spans over a decade, balancing theological education with practical ministry insights. He remains committed to addressing modern challenges facing the church while fostering dialogue between faith and secular disciplines.

• Christian Ministry
• Religious Education
• Faith and Science
• +3 more

Earl Lavender is a Professor at Lipscomb University, holding roles in the College of Bible and Ministry and the Hazelip School of Theology. Since 1991, he has taught at Lipscomb and served as Director of Missional Studies (since 1999) and Executive Director of the Center for Vocational Discovery. He is also an adjunct professor at Abilene Christian University and has lectured at Pepperdine and Oklahoma Christian University. His global mission work includes leadership in Italy, Germany, Scotland, Australia, India, Mexico, Russia, Brazil, Ghana, Lithuania, and China. Dr. Lavender earned a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Saint Louis University (1991), an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Lipscomb, and undergraduate degrees in Physical Education and Coaching from Ohio Valley College and David Lipscomb College. His research focuses on missional theology, historical Christian thought, and vocational spirituality. He regularly presents at Oxford’s International Conference of Patristic Studies and has delivered keynote addresses at the Festival Biblico in Vicenza, Italy, from 2005 to 2019. His publications include books on Patristic Studies, commentaries on New Testament texts (e.g., Mark, Luke, Acts, Corinthians), and contributions to encyclopedic works. His work bridges theological scholarship with practical ministry, emphasizing missional engagement and spiritual formation across cultures. Dr. Lavender has not been explicitly noted for scientific awards. His advisory roles and grants remain unspecified in the provided texts. He leads Lipscomb’s Center for Vocational Discovery, fostering student exploration of vocation as a sacred calling. His international mission efforts and academic partnerships reflect a commitment to global theological education and community impact.

• Historical Theology
• Patristic Studies
• Missional Studies
• +3 more

David King is an Associate Professor and Program Director for the Master of Social Work program at Indiana Wesleyan University's Division of Behavioral and Health Sciences. With over 30 years of experience in social work, he has worked in church, community, and private practice settings, specializing in serving children, families, individuals with developmental disabilities, chronic mental illness, substance use disorders, and co-occurring conditions. Education: Doctor of Social Work Administration (DSW), Walden University, 2020 Master of Social Work (MSW), University of Kentucky, 1992 Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling, Asbury Theological Seminary, 1992 Bachelor of Science, Eastern Michigan University, 1988 Research Interests: Dr. King focuses on integrating social work with Christian faith, ethical practice frameworks, and outcomes-driven methodologies. He emphasizes practical applications of faith in clinical settings and evidence-based interventions for marginalized populations. Teaching and Leadership: He has taught at the graduate level since 2009 and leads the online MSW program, emphasizing accessibility and innovation in social work education.

• Integration of Social Work and Christian Faith
• Ethics in Social Work
• Outcomes-Driven Social Work Practice
• +3 more

Larisa Levicheva is an Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Indiana Wesleyan University's School of Theology and Ministry. She holds a Ph.D. in Old Testament Studies from London School of Theology (2014), Th.M. in World Missions (Asbury Seminary, 2005), and M.Div. (Asbury Seminary, 2002). Her academic journey includes teaching roles in Russia, Jamaica, and currently at IWU. Her research focuses on Old Testament theology, biblical languages, missions, and the application of technology in translation. She has authored/co-authored over 20 scholarly works between 2017-2020, emphasizing biblical exegesis, contextualization, and AI in Bible translation. Her mission work includes 10 years in Russia and Jamaica, developing youth ministry materials. Married to Dr. Abson Joseph (New Testament Professor), they have two daughters. Education: Ph.D. Old Testament Studies, London School of Theology, 2014 Th.M. World Missions, Asbury Theological Seminary, 2005 M.Div., Asbury Theological Seminary, 2002 AA, Christian Evangelical Wesleyan College, 1999 Research interests bridge biblical scholarship and practical ministry: exploring poverty in Scripture, temptation narratives, and AI's role in cross-cultural Bible translation. Her work on Ecclesiastes emphasizes existential theology while mission-focused writings address contextual evangelism. Though no formal awards are noted, her contributions to theological education and cross-cultural ministry highlight her academic and spiritual commitment. Advising: No formal advisees listed. Grants: No specific grants mentioned. Collaborations include co-authorship with her husband on mission theology topics. Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary initiatives at IWU, though no specific lab affiliations detailed.

• Biblical Studies
• Old Testament Theology
• Biblical Languages (Hebrew/Greek)
• +4 more

Todd C. Ream is a Professor of Humanities and Executive Director of Faculty Research and Scholarship at Indiana Wesleyan University's Honors College. He also serves as Senior Fellow for Programming at the Lumen Research Institute, Senior Fellow for Public Engagement at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and Publisher of the Christian Scholar's Review . His career includes roles in student development, residence life, and academic leadership. Ream hosts the weekly 'Saturdays at Seven' series discussing Christian academic vocations and has authored or edited 19 books. His research focuses on Christian higher education, academic vocation, and interdisciplinary integration. Education: Ph.D. in Humanities (Pennsylvania State University, 2001), M.Div. (Duke University Divinity School, 1996), B.A. (Baylor University, 1993). Research Interests: Explores the intersection of Christian faith with academic practice, institutional sustainability in faith-based colleges, and the legacy of public intellectuals like Theodore M. Hesburgh. His work emphasizes moral identity in education, holistic curriculum design, and fostering community through interdisciplinary collaboration. Current projects include a book on the academic vocation and a series on Hesburgh's contributions to academia and the Church. Publications: Over 190 articles, editorials, and reviews in journals like America , First Things , and Notre Dame Magazine , alongside numerous edited volumes addressing Christian education's future, public theology, and institutional renewal. Recent works include The Anxious Middle (2023) and Hesburgh of Notre Dame (2021). Advocacy: Active in shaping policy for Christian colleges through roles with CCCU and Lumen Research Institute. Promotes dialogue between academia and the Church through publishing and public lectures.

• Christian Higher Education
• Academic Vocation
• Moral Identity in Education
• +3 more

Michele Wells is an Associate Professor and Online Director of the Bachelor of Social Work Program at Indiana Wesleyan University's Division of Behavioral and Health Sciences. She holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership (Regent University, 2016), an MSW from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1996), and a BS in Psychology from Indiana State University (1987). Her career spans over 20 years in clinical practice and 16 years in higher education. Research interests include micro and mezzo social work practice , social and cultural diversity , social justice leadership , and the integration of faith in social work education . She has presented at national conferences such as the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and the North American Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW). Professional service includes roles as a licensed clinical social worker in Indiana, former MSW Program Director at Asbury University, and board member for City 4 the Nations. She is an active site visitor for CSWE accreditation processes. Her scholarship focuses on leadership development in social work, spirituality’s role in professional motivation, and pedagogical strategies for future practitioners. Recent work explores how social justice values mediate leadership aspirations among social work educators.

• Social Work Practice
• Social Justice
• Spirituality in Leadership
• +3 more

Steve Wood serves as an Associate Professor in the Division of Music and Theatre at Indiana Wesleyan University, where he champions the integration of Christian faith with artistic practice through storytelling and theatrical expression. Education: Ph.D. from Texas Tech University (2012) M.A. from Bowling Green State University (2001) B.S. from Baptist Bible College (1998) His scholarly focus centers on narrative construction in theatre, examining how stories shape identity and vocation across diverse contexts—from professional performance to everyday life. He actively encourages students to "stage their stories" with technical precision, emphasizing that theatrical principles apply universally to personal and professional storytelling. Scientific Awards: No awards documented in source material. While advising philosophy emphasizes student narrative development, no formal advisee lists or research grants are specified. His work appears centered in classroom instruction rather than lab-based research teams.

• Theatre
• Music
• Faith and Art Integration
• +2 more

Townsand Price-Spratlen is a Professor at The Ohio State University, specializing in urban sociology and community capacity building. Their work focuses on historical and contemporary issues such as grassroots organizing in criminal justice reentry, faith-based health services, and African American migration patterns. They hold a Ph.D. from the University of Washington (1993). Research Interests: Urban sociology, community capacity building, criminal justice reintegration, health disparities, faith-based organizations, African American migration history. Their work bridges sociological theory with applied research in public health and urban policy. Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes pandemic mental health impacts, addiction recovery, and the sociocultural dimensions of criminal justice. Earlier studies explore the Great Migration’s urban dynamics and the role of faith-based institutions in community resilience. Labs/Projects: Co-founded the Columbus Congregations for Healthy Youth (2004), a collaborative project integrating faith-based networks with public health interventions for urban youth.

• Urban Sociology
• Community Capacity Building
• Criminal Justice Reintegration
• +3 more